At Southwest Ice Arena, in Crestwood on Thursday, February 11, 2016 the St. Rita Mustangs look to even the first round of the Chicago Catholic League Kennedy Cup Playoff Series at 1-1 vs. Br. Rice. The puck drops at 7:55 p.m.

St. Rita has been down this road before.

Needing a win to force a do-or-die Game 3.

It's the exact scenario the Mustangs found themselves in last season.

"People started to panic a little bit last year when we lost the first game to Rice," St. Rita defenseman Colan Fitzgerald said. "We knew we were capable of coming back and we feel we're capable of coming back this year."

St. Rita did, indeed, rally from the Game 1 loss last season to win two straight and advance to the Kennedy Cup semifinals.

It doesn't matter to St. Rita coach Brian Coleman how St. Rita comes away with a Game 2 win at 8 p.m. Thursday at Southwest Ice Arena, just as long as the Mustangs force a Game 3.